Here's a question: are you too acidic? The answer could be yes if you experience some or all of the following: dry skin, headaches, chronic acid reflux, lack of energy, get easily agitated without cause, a metallic taste in your mouth, and increased salt and sugar cravings.

“A healthy diet should consist of 70% alkaline foods and 30% acid forming foods,” says Sylvia Ortiz, a health industry pioneer and founder of the "Rebound Aerobics" video series. “Generally adding more leafy greens to your plate and avoiding foods or beverages that contain preservatives is a great start for most people. Remember, though, that a food’s acid or alkaline-forming tendency in the body has nothing to do with the actual pH of the food itself. For example, lemons are very acidic; however, the end products they produce after digestion and assimilation are alkaline. Likewise, meat will test alkaline before digestion, but it leaves a very acidic environment.”

The following is Sylvia’s quick guide to acid and alkaline-forming foods. Just remember, the object is to have a diet higher in alkaline foods but that doesn’t mean you have to cut out everything that is acidic.